Houston high school students who fail to return to school in August may have community members and school officials knocking on their doors to ask them why.

"I call for the whole city to come forward and help with these issues of keeping kids in school," said HISD interim superintendent Abe Saavedra.

At a Thursday school board workshop, Saavedra announced his 100-day plan for the Houston Independent School District. He was unanimously selected last month as interim superintendent after Kaye Stripling announced her retirement effective Aug. 31.

Under Saavedra's plan, the district would use community volunteers and school staff on Aug. 28 to find teens who failed to show up during the first two weeks of school, which starts Aug. 16.

The move comes as HISD seeks new ways to lower its dropout rate, which ranges from 30 percent to 40 percent of its students. Statistics show that HISD only graduates 72 percent of its seniors and has an even lower graduation rate for its Hispanic students.

"There is not one single recipe to reach children," Saavedra said of the 212,000 students in HISD.

Among other goals outlined by Saavedra is a plan to reduce violence and drugs in some schools with random searches by HISD police canine units. The pilot program would allow principals to volunteer their schools for the searches.

"These searches will be done in hallways, lockers and parking lots, not on individual students," Saavedra said.

Increase achievement

The interim superintendent said the main priority is to increase student achievement and academic expectations. He plans to continue a push to improve minority enrollment in college-credit classes by requiring all 13,500 sixth-graders to be enrolled in pre-Advanced Placement English courses this fall.

Another college-oriented goal is expanding the dual-credit programs in which students are able to take college courses while still in high school.

For younger students, Saavedra said he'd also like to boost the number of 4-year-old children enrolled in pre-kindergarten by opening enrollment to those families who can afford to pay tuition on a space-available basis.

No amount has yet been set, but Spring Branch Independent School District charges $400 per month in tuition for its pre-K.

Improve communication

Another goal detailed by Saavedra includes improving communication among teachers, administrators, the school board, parents and community organizations.

Because so many district staff members in the central office have no direct dealings with HISD students, Saavedra said he wants to develop a program for administrators and staff to adopt schools.

By mentoring and tutoring students, district employees can better appreciate the mission of education, he said.

"There are some real challenges, but we need to keep the momentum going," he told board members.

Trustees said they appreciated Saavedra's ideas and goals.

"This plan is brave, bold and attainable," said board member Harvin Moore.

Considered front-runner

If selected for the job, Saavedra, 53, would become the first permanent Hispanic superintendent in HISD history.

HISD is the seventh-largest school district in the nation.

Saavedra, who was HISD's executive deputy superintendent, is considered the front-runner in what is expected to be a three- to six-month search for a new superintendent.

HISD Deputy Superintendent Margaret Stroud said, "Today is the first day of the 100-day plan. We're on roller skates."